ALL TOO FAMILIAR
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness,
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
Isaiah 5:20
One of the houses my parents bought was two properties away from a volunteer fire department. Not long after moving in, one night the siren went off to call the volunteers to the station. Abruptly awakened I was confused and alarmed (no pun intended) by the ear splitting sound! After a few seconds I figured it out, waited for it to end, and finally got back to sleep. Over the course of not too long a time, I got used to the siren at night. It still woke me up, but to a semi-consciousness in which I would think “Oh, it’s the fire siren,” and immediately go back to sleep. Note that it was the repetition of the same thing over the course of time that dulled my senses to the noise.
Unfortunately the same holds true for the dulling of our culture’s senses over sin. I remember a time when homosexuality was unacceptable behavior. Then came the appeal to just accept it as an “alternate lifestyle.” When that was successful the campaign for homosexual rights started, including “marriage.” When laws were changed and rights accepted, then anyone who stood for righteousness was narrow minded, wrong, subject to harassment, and even taken to court resulting in a 180 degree flip from evil to good, and good to evil.
The purveyors of evil are sounding a “siren” often and loud to dull society’s consciences to righteousness in many other areas. Don’t let your spiritual senses be dulled by their constant barrage of evil. “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:13).
Jeffrey Eno
WHAT IS IMPORTANT?
For Ezra had set his heart... Ezra 7:10a
If something is important enough to you, you will find a way to accomplish it. Let’s say you have irrefutable evidence that there is a treasure chest with several million dollars in jewelry in your backyard. You would probably stop at nothing to dig up every last square inch of your yard until that chest was found. Why? Because that amount of money has great value to you.
For Ezra, the most important thing was knowing Yahweh’s law. He “set his heart” to know it. The word “set” is the opposite of something that is flimsy. It speaks of strength, durability, and longevity. It speaks of a heart that is unwavering in its commitment to know God. Applied to us today, such determination is especially necessary because there are many things which, through constant battering, try to compel us to waver – not the least of which can be our own deceitful hearts. Solomon wisely warned, “Guard your heart with all diligence” (Proverbs 4:23).
The classic example in Scripture is Daniel. Through no fault of his own Daniel found himself captive in the foreign culture of Babylon, surrounded by all kinds of temptations and facing three years of indoctrination in pagan thinking. Yet Scripture says of Daniel that he “set in his heart that he would not defile himself” (Daniel 1:8). Daniel was unwavering. He had studied enough of God’s Law to know what was expected of him, and he was going to do it. He knew that to compromise in the slightest amount at the beginning could lead to compromising on larger things later. He, like Ezra, had his priorities right. What things are most important to you?
Philip Moeller
DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8
Pure in heart; how does one obtain a pure heart? When we are conceived and born into this world, even then we do not have a pure heart (Psalm 58:3). Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:8 that we are blessed, living in a state of inward bliss, inward happiness which is neither the result of circumstance nor subject to change on the basis of circumstance, when we have a pure heart. Moreover, we will see God. “Pure in heart” does not mean perfection as most people define “perfect.” The dictionary definition of perfect is flawless; completely free from faults and defects. Some think of it as lacking no essential detail. But…is that what Jesus is saying? We get our English word, “catharsis” from this Greek word translated “pure.” It means to cleanse. That is how this word is used in Acts 15:9. There it says believers’ hearts have been cleansed by the Holy Spirit when they believed. In this verse, faith is the channel, the hose of the pressure washer through which the cleansing Holy Spirit moves in a believer’s life to bring spiritual cleansing and renewal (Titus 3:5).
A Hindu trader in India once asked a missionary, “What do you put on your face to make it shine?” With surprise the man of God answered, “I don’t put anything on it!” His questioner began to lose patience and said emphatically, “Yes, you do! All of you who believe in Jesus seem to have it. I’ve seen it in the towns of Agra and Surat, and even in the city of Bombay.” Suddenly the Christian understood, and his face glowed even more as he said, “Now I know what you mean, and I will tell you the secret. It’s not something we put on from the outside but something that comes from within. It’s the reflection of the light of God in our hearts” (M. Lloyd-Jones).
A pure heart, a transformed core of your being, a cleansed heart brings peace with God (Romans 5:1); pleasantness in life (Psalm 24:3-6); and preparation for death (Psalm 17:15; Phil. 1:21). Do you have a pure heart? Don’t leave home without it.
Ike Graham
RUST AND RAGS
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. Matthew 6:19
Leah and I have been married for 21 years. Among the wedding gifts we received from kind friends and family were beautiful bathroom towels and a nice set of muffin tins. Lately, we have noticed our towels coming apart at the seams and developing thin spots where lush, water-absorbing material once existed. Our muffin tins also show the age of our marriage; the nonstick coating has worn off, and they have begun to rust.
Leah asked if we could afford to replace them since the muffins now stick to the tins, making it very difficult to extract them. Similarly, we see the necessity of replacing the towels before we are left with one-inch square pieces of faded cloth that couldn’t dry a wet gnat.
All material things on this earth will break down and fade away. Your home requires constant maintenance, or it will be overcome by weather elements and destructive pests looking for shelter. That is why Jesus commanded us not to treasure the things of this world that can be destroyed or stolen.
Jesus knows we need certain material goods in this physical world to live and work, but we dare not accumulate extra, unnecessary stuff. Instead, Jesus commands us to store up treasures that can never be destroyed or stolen. What are these eternal treasures? First and foremost is the eternal God who saved us and desires for us to know Him. Other eternal treasures include the souls of people—our spouses, children, family, brothers and sisters in Christ, and the lost who need to know Jesus. Finally, the rewards we receive from our Lord at the Bema judgment will last forever.
What does your heart treasure?
Ethan Kallberg
FLASH AND BANG
So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before Yahweh.” And behold, Yahweh was passing by! And a great and strong wind was tearing up the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before Yahweh, but Yahweh was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but Yahweh was not in the earthquake. Then after the earthquake a fire, but Yahweh was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a thin gentle whisper.
1 Kings 19:11–12.
I was recently at what was advertised as a worship service where the trendy band, audio equipment, fog machines and lights overwhelmed a large crowd and, if given a chance, would have overwhelmed any reasonable budget meeting! As song after song that had been produced by heretical "music ministries" pummeled the audience, I couldn't help but notice how far the Spirit of God was from that place. What was relatable to me, was the desperation of broken humans to experience the living God. I know well the need to have the Lord meet with me and provide soul care! And there have been times when I, too, have been tempted to find a way to purchase a spiritual encounter that avoids boring stuff like faithfulness, Bible reading or prayer. It reminds me of when I was with a motorcycle riding buddy and some guy was telling us how much he loved the sound of his sport bike when it was wound up to go fast. My friend just muttered, "Well, I ride a Harley because I'd rather sound like a thunderstorm than a bumblebee!” I have a similar sentiment when it comes to motorcycles. But loud pipes, bright lights or a big bass amp cannot replicate the true work of the Spirit of the Living God! The story in 1 Kings is a reminder that often the most powerful moments with God's Spirit will take place in the midst of ordinary, unassuming methods. Spiritual depth and experience is granted freely and regularly to the sheep who sit with their Shepherd.
Joe Ensley
MOVING DAY
Though I walk in the midst of distress, You will revive me;
You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and Your right hand will save me.
Psalm 138:7
When we returned to Africa in 1988, the rebel activity in Chad had settled down. After finding a house in Moundou, we went to the Central African Republic—where we had worked during our first term—to gather our stored household items. We asked local gendarmes (federal police) to watch as we loaded the large mission truck, but they refused, stating they were not customs agents.
We had everything packed by Thursday evening and started out late Friday morning. By then, the gendarmes had already begun celebrating the weekend and were drunk. They stopped us in front of their station, demanding we unload everything for inspection. To demonstrate their seriousness, armed men pointed automatic rifles at us from every window. They laughed as we began unloading. Thankfully, well before we finished, they tired of their amusement. We reloaded our stuff as best as we could and resumed our trip.
We dreadfully anticipated what would happen at the border. However, a local tribal pastor had asked us for a ride. When we arrived at the customs office, the official in charge came out and hugged him. It just “so happened” that this pastor had led that very official to the Lord years earlier. Instead of the hostility we expected, we were greeted warmly and served a snack. The official filled out the required paperwork without inspecting a single thing. We crossed into Chad, and the rest of our trip was entirely without snags.
David faced many dangers in his life, yet he knew that Yahweh was always present to protect and guide. Likewise, the Holy Spirit dwells within us and will never forsake us (John 14:16-18). Let’s face life with confidence, knowing that God is sovereign. On moving day, He protected us from danger and perfectly arranged the schedule so that we were greeted by a brother in Christ at the border.
Les Vnasdale
THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS
Then I heard something like the voice of a great crowd and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.”
Revelation 19:6
Perhaps the greatest musical piece ever written is George Frideric Handel’s Messiah with its famous Hallelujah Chorus. Handel worked on it from August 22-September 14, 1741 hardly stopping to eat or sleep. At times he would run to his harpsichord singing “Hallelujah! Hallelujah!” When he finished the 260 page oratorio he stated, “I think I did see all heaven open before me and the great God Himself!”
The Hallelujah Chorus emphasizes that Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords reigning forever.
What will Christ’s millennial reign be like? The earth will return to the conditions of Eden with no unredeemed people(to start with – Matthew 25:31-46); no wars (Isaiah 2:4); no poverty (Isaiah 35:1; Ezekiel 47:8-12; Joel 2:26); no injustice(Isaiah 11:3-4); no fear of wild animals (Isaiah 11:6-9); no physical suffering (Isaiah 35:5-6; 65:20); no sadness (Isaiah 35:10); and no open unbelief (Isaiah 60:11-12). Satan will be bound for those years. One would surmise that living in a perfect environment, not having to deal with Satan’s devilish schemes, and having Jesus Himself on the throne would produce perfect people. Wrong! “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can know it? I, Yahweh, search the heart” (Jeremiah 17:9-10a). At the end of the 1000 years when Satan is released, he is able to deceive millions to rebel against the Lord, His people and His beloved city, Jerusalem. All these rebels experience a fiery end, and Satan is put out of business permanently (Revelation 20:7-10).
Today Jesus seeks to rule and reign on the throne of each of our hearts. Is He your Lord, King and Savior (John 3:16)? If Jesus rules in your heart today, someday you will reign with Him (Revelation 20:4-6). Strike up the Hallelujah Chorus!
Bob Kulp
ARE YOU MERCIFUL?
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Matthew 5:7
Mercy is one of the responses of God out of His love to His creation. In reference to us, Ephesians 2:4 says: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love…” Mercy flows from the love of God. God doesn’t count His riches in money. He counts His riches in mercy. Mercy is not softness. It’s not the man of whom it is said, “He wouldn’t kill a snake in a nursery.” Mercy is not sentiment. It is not just shedding tears in pity, but then you don’t do anything. It is an element of love which motivates one to action. It originates from the love of God. It is another of the communicable attributes of God which humans possess because we are made in the image of God; marred though our image is.
“It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed” (Lam. 3:22 KJV). In other words, He withholds our deserved punishment. “His compassions never fail. They are new every morning.” Each morning greets you with the mercy of God. God doesn’t have to take your life for it to end. He only has to stop giving it, and He gives it in mercy. Have you pondered why God did not immediately destroy Adam and Eve when they sinned? It is because in His mercy, i.e., the withholding of what they deserved, He spared them for salvation. He did that for you also. He gives us grace, not what we deserve. When some believers are asked, “How are you?” They respond, “Better than I deserve.” Is that true of you? Try it next time someone asks, “How are you?” What if you are not merciful? Check out what Jesus says about that in Matthew 6:14-15. Forgiveness is a form of showing mercy.
Ike Graham
WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN?
And you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,
‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him.’
Hebrews 12:5
In the preceding verse, the author of Hebrews reminds us, “You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin.” This is the ultimate measuring rod for suffering. As difficult as life may get, you are still alive! Jesus literally died in His striving against sin—not His own, but the sin of the world. He successfully resisted Satan and those operating under demonic influence. Today, we have Jesus as our perfect example of endurance. We also have a great cloud of witnesses testifying that they endured hardships by anchoring themselves to God’s promises in the famous “Hall of Faith” found in Hebrews 11.
The Greek word for discipline is paideia, which means the rearing, training, teaching, and education of a child. It does not simply mean negative punishment. Remember, Christians can never be punished for their sins because Jesus already endured that full wrath on the cross. Instead, God lovingly disciplines us as His children to protect us from further wandering, sometimes allowing us to experience the natural consequences of our choices.
The positive focus of paideia is education. Even when personal sin is not the cause, our heavenly Father uses difficulties to train us in godliness. This fatherly education takes four distinct forms. When we experience “bad” things, the Father utilizes His Word to explain our circumstances for our ultimate growth and edification. Second Timothy 3:16 reveals these four purposes: “All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.”
Ethan Kallberg
CLOSE ENOUGH
Is there yet a man in the wicked house, along with treasures of wickedness, and a short measure which is cursed? Can I purify wicked scales and a bag of deceptive weights?
Micah 6:10-11
There is only one place in America where four states come together. The Four Corners Monument stands at the spot where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah join. I – and thousands of others – have gotten down in spread-eagle fashion over the top of this marker and had our picture taken as we awkwardly posed in four states all at once. I even bought an arrow there that was made by a real native American as a souvenir of the place.
In truth, all I did was make a fool of myself. The marker was placed there in 1875. Since then, improved surveying methods have proved the real four corners to be 1800 feet west of that spot. But the Supreme Court held that the borders marked by the monument will continue to be observed!
This makes me wonder how much other erroneous material I have accepted because of mankind’s warped mathematics, twisted social mores, misunderstood religion and self-idolizing principles.
No doubt, we are all a little off in our estimation of what is absolutely true. May His grace overcome the times of our life when we act on what is “close enough” instead of what is completely true. Someday, His own court will convene, and we will see at last how great His grace and mercy really are!
Davy L. Troxel
WHAT DO YOU REALLY WANT?
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Matthew 5:6
What is it that you really want? Money? Are you thinking that if you had enough money to pay your bills and buy the house that you’ve always wanted and the car that you’ve always wanted then you’ll be happy or blessed? Maybe it’s marriage? Do you think that if you marry the right person then, no matter what kind of problems you have, you’ll be happy? Jesus says that the truly happy people are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Do you?
What hinders a person’s hunger? Sometimes it is sickness. Similarly, in the spiritual realm if you are spiritually sick, then you are not craving God, His word or His people. In the physical realm, we go to the doctor and take medicine. In the spiritual realm, we stay away from the doctor and refuse medicine; go figure. What we need is to see the spiritual doctor (your pastor) and take the spiritual medicine (Bible). It’s the path to spiritual health. Satisfaction with the world can hinder spiritual hunger. Check out Matthew 13:22; 1 Timothy 6:9-10; and 1 John 2:15. Are you so enamored with the pleasures of life and the quest for money that you are shortchanging yourself spiritually? Remember what Jesus said to the woman at the well? “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water” (John 4:10). Have you asked Him? Satan can also hinder spiritual hunger. Satan either comes to you as a roaring lion or an angel of light. When he comes as a roaring lion, he threatens to take everything you have. Most laugh and say, “OK, but we don’t have anything.” If that doesn’t work, he comes as an angel of light and promises to give us all kinds of things. If you know what God has said, then you respond, “Unnecessary; I already have everything” (1 Cor. 3:21-23). But some are fooled. Don’t be fooled. Ask the Lord to give you a hunger for righteousness.
Ike Graham
KNOWING ISN’T ENOUGH
For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of Yahweh and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and judgment in Israel.
Ezra 7:10
This verse begins by showing us Ezra’s priority – the law of Yahweh. But once that is established, it goes on to give us Ezra’s practice – studying God’s Word so that he could live it and teach it to others. There’s a natural progression here. No one can live something, let alone teach it, unless he first knows it. This means that if you want to have an impact in the lives of others, you must first study God’s Law. Or stated more directly, the only way to be used by God is to first know God and His Word.
But just studying isn’t enough – you must also practice it. This is what James meant when he wrote “What use is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?” (2:14) James is saying that your works prove the quality of your studying. The whole purpose of studying is to change behavior. So if studying God’s Word doesn’t lead to a change in your life, one can rightfully question whether you have truly studied God’s Word.
Finally, Ezra wanted to pass along what he had been learning and living. The transformation that God’s Word had brought about in his life was so real that he wanted others to experience it. David felt the same way after receiving forgiveness for his sins. “I will give you insight and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you” (Psalm 32:8).
Today, think of ways in which God’s Word has changed your life. Find someone and tell them about those wonderful changes.
Philip Moeller
THE OPEN DOOR
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:23
For generations, the presence of God was a place of holy terror. At Mount Sinai, the people trembled at the foot of the mountain; in the Temple, a thick veil stood as a constant “Keep Out” sign. But Hebrews 10:19-20 delivers world-changing news: the door is no longer locked.
You are invited to enter the Holy Place with absolute confidence. This isn’t a self-help “confidence” built on your performance or your pedigree. It is a boldness bought by the blood of Jesus. Through His torn flesh—the true veil—He inaugurated a “new and living way.” Unlike the Old Testament sacrifices that stayed dead, our Sacrifice rose again, conquering the grave to lead us into everlasting life.
When you approach the Father, you aren’t greeted with a cold stare or a list of your failures. You are welcomed with the same warmth God extends to His own Son. You are the sheep invited to an overflowing table (Psalm 23); you are the prodigal son being fitted for a robe and ring while the Father runs to meet you.
How often have you disqualified yourself? We tell ourselves, “Because I did ______, I can’t talk to God.” But if you have trusted in Christ, that barrier is gone. Jesus is your permanent permission. He is the Door, the Way, and your unrestricted access to the Father’s heart. Today, stop standing at the foot of the mountain in fear. Step through the Door and find pasture for your soul.
Ethan Kallberg
WARRIORS OF PEACE
If possible, so far as it depends on you, being at peace with all men… Romans 12:18
It has been said that within every great doctrine lies a paradox. As I continue to learn more about God, I have become increasingly comfortable with the reality that many truths about Him will never fit inside my little brain. God is infinite, and I am not. Yet much spiritual growth happens when I wrestle with a seeming contradiction and learn to follow Christ faithfully in the tension.
One such tension is the call to be a peaceful warrior. J. C. Ryle wrote, “In short, war is an immense and incalculable evil, and every praying man should cry night and day, ‘Give peace in our time.’ And yet there is one warfare which is emphatically ‘good,’ and one fight in which there is no evil. That warfare is the Christian warfare. That fight is the fight of the soul.”
The Christian does not delight in conflict, stir up division, or seek to overpower others. We are called to pursue peace, love our enemies, bless those who curse us, and overcome evil with good. At the same time, we must never confuse peace with passivity. Sin must be resisted. Temptation must be fought. Lies must be answered with truth. The flesh must be denied, and the faith must be defended with courage and humility.
In this sense, I am called to constantly war for peace. I fight first within my own heart, asking Christ to conquer pride, fear, bitterness and selfish desire. I fight for peace in my relationships by choosing forgiveness, patience and truth. I fight for the souls of others through prayer, witness and love.
Joe Ensley
THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF SIN
For the lips of a strange woman drip honey and smoother than oil is her speech;
But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two‑edged sword.
Proverbs 5:3-4
Wouldn’t it be nice if sin wasn’t attractive or appealing? One would think it would be a whole lot easier to resist temptation. But that is not reality. Sin is attractive; our eyes are drawn to it. The question becomes: how do we respond to it, since we are naturally drawn to it in our sinful flesh?
Part of the answer is in our text for today. Whenever we are tempted by the attractiveness of sin, we must remind ourselves of what that temptation really is. It is a facade. It is a mask pulled over the face to hide the true identity. If we pulled down the fake wall, or peeled off the mask we would discover the ugliest, most repulsive truth, “bitter as wormwood.” We would also see the perilous danger that is inherent with the temptation, “sharp as a two-edged sword.”
The second part of the answer is recorded later in the chapter, “Drink water from your own cistern and fresh water from your own well” (v. 15). In other words, focus on the blessings that God has already given you in that area.
A third response we must engage when we are attracted to sin is to turn our eyes to the Lord and remind ourselves that He is watching and He cares. Paul reminds us, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13). With God’s strength, pull off the mask of temptations today to reveal the ugly reality of sin, and turn your eyes to the Lord, our only source of strength.
Joshua Steiner
WHERE THE BUFFALO ROAM
The heart of man plans his way, But Yahweh directs his steps.
Proverbs 16:9
Pat and I had the awesome privilege of travelling the lower 48 in a motorhome for six years. It took us a year to acquire the RV, sell our house, and get rid of 47 years of accumulated “stuff.” But a week after closing on the house we turned over the keys, saddled up in the RV, car in tow, and departed from our home of some 30 years.
Pat likes to quilt, so we determined early on that she would make a patch showing one “adventure” that was a special memory for us for each state. That quilt is now hanging on a wall in our apartment where we see it every day. What memories it holds! And we have hundreds of pictures and videos of our travels. Just recently I was watching a dash cam video of our drive through the Redwoods National Park. Our favorite states/places were where the buffalo roam (actually there have never been any buffalo in America—they are bison).
Now the motorhome has been sold, we have settled in to sedentary living again, and I have the privilege of serving as interim pastor in our church. Do we miss travelling? Some aspects, but there is great satisfaction and joy in knowing that you are where God wants you to be, doing what God wants you to do, when He wants you to do it. He made it clear and paved the way when we started the RV adventure, and He made it clear and paved the way when it was time to quit.
Yes, we made some decisions, but God directed our way. It was not only a blessing to us, but also to the people we got to talk to along the way about Him.
Jeffrey Eno
THE MAD SPECTER OF ANTISEMITISM
So the dragon was enraged with the woman.
Revelation 12:17
Middle America was rightly shocked at what seemed like an overnight outburst of extreme anti-Semitism within our own country several years ago. Many thought that the modern, conventional Western World had left this sort of thing behind with the capture of Hitler’s Reich Chancellery in 1945. Perhaps what made this outbreak especially unsettling was the fact that it did not involve the traditionally anticipated actors (neo-Nazis, skinheads, etc.). Instead, it emerged from the ranks of the “liberal,” “tolerant,” and “progressive” circles of the elite, patrician Left!!! Typically, this new brand of “social justice” DSA/Intifada warriors are privileged white kids from prestigious Ivy League schools—ludicrously arrayed in Yasser Arafat-style kufiyas as they chant genocidal slogans (“From the River to the Sea!”). In late 2023, a Harvard Caps-Harris Poll sampled 2,034 registered voters and discovered that amongst 18 to 24-year-olds some
67% of them believe that Jews are an oppressor class (who should be treated as such), while 51% believe that Israel should cease to exist and that its land should be distributed amongst Hamas and the Palestinians. Further, 60% believe that Hamas’ 10/7/23 atrocities were morally justified. Similarly, a Dailymail.com Poll found that 31% of voters aged 18-29 believe that Osama Bin Laden represented a “force for good.”
Few expressions of hatred are as deranged or nonsensical as anti-Semitism—the fiendish and unhinged scapegoating of a minority that has blessed the entire human race in innumerable ways beyond measure—especially in Messiah (Gen. 12:2-3)! Such inexplicable and irrational hatred is surely diabolical and supernatural in origin!
Yet, even in these things the Word of God stands vindicated. Israel is at the heart of God’s prophetic plans, and thus Satan rages—as predicted!
Terry L. Reese
GOD'S WILL INCLUDES DIFFICULTIES
Then Moses had Israel set out from the Red Sea...into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days...and found no water. Exodus 15:22
God led them by cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. They were exactly where He wanted them, and the water was bitter (Marah). Of course God already knew this. It was a test for them. If the celebration at the Red Sea was Monday, by Thursday they were ready to bail on God. They were miserably grumbling at Moses like he was an idiot. Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree to throw into the waters, and the waters became sweet (Ex. 15:25). Now there is no known tree that can do this. It was a miracle of God. The believers could understand the Hand of God. The unbelievers parked their unbelief on the supposed property of the tree. It went over their heads, and they settled for an imperfect understanding. At this critical time God asked the people to make a commitment to follow Him (Ex. 15:26). Then they came to Elim, a place of 12 springs and 70 date palms. Isn't it interesting that God had them make their commitment when it was informed by difficulties rather than when they were at the Oasis of Elim? Concluding observations: First, God's will often leads to tight spots and difficulties, but for those who love God, it will work out (Rom. 8:28). Recall Naomi who came back to Bethlehem from Moab (Ruth 1&2). She said "Call me Marah, for life is bitter." She was quite tested to say the least, but saw the Hand of God unfold with Ruth and Boaz. Second, any commitment needs to be informed by potential difficulties. We do this at weddings with vows stating in sickness and in health. Lastly, men are capable of extremely fickle actions. Beware of shallowness. Witnessing many miracles cannot substitute for sincere faith.
Russ Simpson
STIMULATING LOVE
And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds. Hebrews 10:24
To “consider” means to think carefully and intentionally. This is a vital choice; we can either actively seek ways to inspire our church family or tragically ignore this responsibility.
The word “stimulate” shares roots with the sharp reaction one has to sour wine (think of drinking vinegar). Just as the bitter taste of vinegar might “stimulate” someone to spit it out, we aim to spark a reaction—though ours should be one of love. This requires both effort and creativity. We can motivate our brothers and sisters by being godly examples, writing encouraging notes, recognizing their spiritual gifts and challenging them to use them, and even rebuking them.
While individual encouragement is vital, Hebrews 10:25 highlight the necessity of corporate fellowship: “not forsaking our own assembling together.” “Forsaking” implies stopping something that should be constant, like the sun rising. A solar eclipse is novel once in awhile, but if it happened every day, our planet would be in trouble. While an occasional absence from church is understandable, making a habit of missing corporate worship is catastrophic to our spiritual health and that of others in the church. Following Christ is inherently social. It is impossible to keep our Lord’s command to love each other without consistently meeting together. When you are in church each week, you show your love for Jesus and stimulate others to love Him, too.
As you go through your week, can you think of some specific ways to “spur” the people in your church toward love and good deeds? It’s not just the pastor’s job. Think about one specific person in your church that you can stimulate to love and good deeds, and do it!
Ethan Kallberg
GET A LOAD OF THIS
And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9a
In a previous issue, I shared how my first church was blessed with free pews, and how there was more to it all. Now, in true Paul Harvey style, here is "the rest of the story".
It was the first time that I had ever driven any large truck. Navigating nervously through a narrow construction zone on the east side of Louisville, my wife and I were headed to Buena Vista, Virginia, where some folks were to meet us and load the pews onto the truck. We arrived at the Virginia church at dusk, and no one was there except one man to open the door. He was a midget (there goes our help, loading!), and he had to leave right away (there goes our hope of staying in a motel!). The water and power had been shut off, and if we left to eat, there would be no getting back in again. All at once it became pioneer parish, and it looked like our trip would be a wash-out.
The sun went down, and we worked unscrewing the pews from the floor until the batteries in our flashlights gave out. Moving blankets laid on the pulpit platform became our bed. Two cars outside were either police wondering why a moving van was backed up to an old nursery facility, or else a drug deal was going down. Either way, they left us alone. That night, too, the Lord showed me one reason why I didn't marry a petite 5'2" girl, as I watched my wife swing her end of a 12 foot oak pew up a ramp into a moving van.
It was an adventure to put it mildly. But it got done, thanks to weakness empowered by the infinite grace of God.
Davy L. Troxel